Telangana government employees plan protests against Congress apathy

To hold large-scale meeting on May 5 in Hyderabad; protests in all district headquarters on May 15 and ‘maha dharna’ planned on June 9

Hyderabad: One more section of Telangana society is all set to hit the streets against the apathy of the Congress government, pointing out its failure to keep its promises. Government employees in the State are the latest to join the long list of farmers, unemployed youth, students, women, constables among others who have launched protests to get their issues addressed.
To begin with, a large-scale meeting of all government employees is scheduled to be held on May 5 in the city, which will be followed with protests in all district headquarters on May 15. On June 9, a ‘maha dharna’ is being planned in the city, according to Eluri Srinivasa Rao, Secretary General of the Joint Action Committee of Telangana Employees, Gazetted Officers, Teachers, Workers and Pensions (TGEJAC).
The employees have for long been demanding payment of five Dearness Allowances apart from a 51 per cent fitment as the PRC report is yet to be submitted to the government. Similarly, the employees want the Old Pension System to be implemented and the Contributory Pension System scrapped. There are nearly 45 non-financial and 12 financial demands of the employees.
If not for all the financial demands, the government could have initiated measures for addressing at least the 45 non-financial demands, the employees argue.
“By paying salaries on the first of every month, the government is just doing its duty and is not doing any favour to employees. All the 57 demands are our legitimate rights and the government has to fulfil them,” another member of the TGEJAC said.
It has been long since the State government has assured to fulfil the demands of the employees. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and other Ministers held a meeting with the representatives of 40 associations in October last. This was after the TGEJAC announced its decision to stage protests from October 28 to January 30.
During the meeting, the Chief Minister had sought time till March to address the issues of the employees. As the government failed to initiate any measures, the TGEJAC held its extended executive committee meeting on March 12 here at TNGOs Bhavan and reminded the Chief Minister about his assurance.
Apart from the assurance, the government had also constituted a Cabinet Sub-Committee under the chairmanship of Deputy Chief Minister. Till date, not a single meeting has been convened with the employees. Another assurance was given that every month Rs 650 crore would be released to clear the pending bills but even that did not happen, he said.
“Employees and pensioners are facing a lot of financial challenges. They are getting agitated and it is high time the government keeps its word,” Srinivasa Rao said.

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